Taft's Friends React To Life Sentence For Her Killer

Friends of Kathy Taft's are reacting to the news that the man convicted of raping and killing her has now been sentenced to life in prison.

The jury handed down that decision for Jason Williford Thursday opting not to sentence him to die.

Democrat State Representative Marian McLawhorn was a friend and colleague of Taft's. She said, "I would not have been upset if he had got the death penalty. This, this was such a horrible, horrible crime, that I personally felt like it might warrant it."

Former Greenville mayor Pat Dunn also knew Taft and her family. She says even if the result had been different, there are no winners. "No one should die the tragic death that Kathy Taft died. But it does bring to closure, but it doesn't relieve all the pain."

Taft is Dunn's second friend to be murdered. She said both were violently killed by strangers. "You wonder what goes on in the minds of the people that could do this sort of thing."

In the end, Taft's friends are just glad the trial is over, and along with the family, they have some closure.

McLawhorn said, "I certainly am glad that this person who did this to her, certainly will never be able to do it to anyone else."

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